Toilet paper roll holder



Mach 24, 1953 L, s, LEE 2,632,605

TOILET PAPER ROLL HOLDER Filed April 4, 1950 INVENToR.

- LYMAN 5. LEE.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 24, 19,53

TOILET PAPER noLL HOLDER Lyman SK. Lee, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor of twenty-five per cent to William Isler, Cleveland,

Ohio

Application April 4, 1950, Serial No. 153,943

8 Claims. (Cl. 242,55.Z)

This invention relates, as indicated, to toilet paper roll holders.

. A primary object of the inventionis toy provide a holder of the character described, which is characterized by novel spring means designed to retain a roll of toilet paper on the holder, while permitting a new roll to be slipped onto the holder, as well as removal of an old roll from the holder, with a minimum of effort, and without the use of tools or the necessity of touching or manipulating the spring means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the character described, infwhich said spring means is so constructed and arranged as to resist removal or displacement thereof, without mutilation of same.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for rendering inoperative the action or function of the spring means, whereby surreptitious removal of the roll of toilet paper is rendered difcult.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder of the character described, which consists of a minimum number of parts which are easy to manufacture and assemble, whereby the holder can be sold at a low price.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. I In the l.accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a toilet paper roll holder embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end or side 4elevational View of the holder, as viewed from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation, and partly in section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is afragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing a modification, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing another modification.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the holder will be seen to comprise a bracket or pedestal portion l, having a `nat base 2, Ywhich is adapted for securement to 'a verticalr wall, as by means of screws passed through openings 3.

` `lThe holder further includes a hollow cylin- 2 Y drical portion, formed integrally with the bracket I, said portion being closed at one end by anend wall 5, and open at its other end, a rectangular opening or recess G being formed at the open end, which recess extends parallel with the axis of the portion 4.

For the purpose of closing the open end of the cyilndrical portion 4 of the holder, a substantially hemispherical cap or button 'l is provided. which abuts the end of the portion 5 and has a portion 8, of reduced diameter, which extends into the cylinder, and facilitates assembly of -the cap with the cylinder.

The aforesaid parts are preferably molded from a plastic, which may be a colored plastic, to match various bathroom color schemes, and the cap 8 may be adhesively secured to the other part, as by means of acetone or similar material ordinarily used for uniting plastic parts. i

The holder also includes a spring, made from a single piece of flat spring steel or the like, bent to provide an elongated body portion 9, an end portion It, which extends at an acute angle to the body 9, a portion l I, which extends at an obtuse angle to the body 9, and an end portion I2, which extends substantially perpendicularly to the portion Il.

The spring may be inserted into the cylindrical portion 4 ofthe holder, prior to assembly of the cap 'l with said portion of the holder, or,'if'de sired, the spring may be inserted into the holder through the opening 6, as by'rst entering the portion l0 of the spring into the opening, and then moving the spring to the solid line position shown in Fig. 3, with the portions Il and vIi! thereof projecting from the opening 6. Inthe unstressed condition of the portion Il) o f the spring, such portion is at a less acute angle to the body 9 than shown in Fig. 3, so that after the spring has been inserted in the holder, the portion Hl tends to spring upwardly, or inv a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so that its upper or free end bites into or frictionally engages the inner Wall of the cylinder. This is of advantage in that itl enables the spring vas a whole to remain in proper position, and prevents, or at least renders difficult, removal of the spring, without mutilation thereof. It will `also be noted that the spring, after being properly positioned, cannot move longitudinally of the cylinder.

With the spring thus positioned within the holder, it will be noted that both the portions II and I 2 thereof extend at an acute angle to the 5 axis of the cylindrical portion 4 of the holder. This enables a roll of toilet paper to be slipped onto the holder or removed from the holder by a simple manual movement, without the necessity of touching or manipulating the spring by means of the hands or extraneous tools.

In mountingirolloitoilet paper, indicated by the dot-dash linesinFig. 3, theiroll isslippedover. the cap 8 and onto the cylindrical portion I of the holder. I2 of the spring, incidental to this movement, the portions 9, I I and I2 of the spring-:arer-biasecby inwardly to the broken line position shownin;V Fig. 3 and after the roll has passedtlie .p ortion :II:

of the spring, the parts 9, II and I2 reassume 20 their normal, or solid line position. The tendency of the parts II and I2 of the-:springr'to'move radially outwardly from the cylinder issutcient to prevent the roll of toilet paper from being accidentally orA inadvertently pushed off the holder, butis; not sufficient to prevent removal 'of'theroll by asimple", easy pulling;'action to -the right; as vl'ewedinv Fig.' 3.

Iiithus'fremoving' the-troll from'tlie holder; the rightend*of'the'roil'engagesthefporti'on II of 30 the spring causingk the parts 9, Iliand: I2`to be biased upwardlytothe-brokenlineyposition'shown ir'rFig: 3, and'after the roll lhasrpassedthe portion` I2iofthe spring, the parts 9,; II and' I2reassume their normalor solid lineposition;

Igis'tliusseen' thattheconstruction of the spring 'is such aste-permit a' roll of toilet paper to be mounted on or removedl from the holder witlr' a minimum of effort, and without the use ofitools.

Since the opening 6, in the' construction shown, will :normally face thev wall Iof the bathroom; the opening and 'the spring-parts I I and 4I 2l will Vnor` mally be concealed froml the-viewofa person within' th'e bathroom.- A'sa consequence, there 45 will be little or notemp-tationto remove-the springiorth'eroll ofpaper,- either malicously, or as alprank. Ina private home, the'possibility of tliespring being removed from'the'holder is virtuallynomexistent. Howeven there isV such-a possi-t'ii'lity in cases where the' preserrt holderf is installed in a public lavatory, orin an oiiice build-` ingorfhotel room. In order tof minimizeethis possibility,i thev modicationsfA shown* in` Figs. 4 and' aref-providediv 55 I'iEigf.' 4,1 tlie=capv I- hasfaneasdaiextension- I3; invWl'iicl'iaf-rod^' I4 mounted',` the' rod'A having: a slottedihead'` lfat one end", and a pin I5?" atfthe othersenmiextendingf radially.. tofsthe rod.. After airollttof paperli'as beenzplced on the. holder, .the 60 rod I4 isrrotatedsto: moveftheipin' Il from'tle position*v shown, in dotted. lines in Figi 4 to* the position shown `in solid-linesfin A.which -latterfpoysitionf the pin-acts:to prevent .thezspringrfrom beingbiased. upwardly.. In .thisfwam removalof the spring ,or therollLotpapenisprevented ordis` couraged,` since an observer is.not.likely to-..see anyfunctional relationship between the head I5 of'therod'andthe-spring;. When the empty roll isrto' be' removed, the-'pin'.II 'is returned tothe 70 dotted i line` position.

In 51 th'ecap 'If'hasa slot' I1, permitting cthecapv tobe rotatedrelatively to'tlie cylinder 4if: Thefcap hasa'portiont" "of'reduced diameter,

provided Witlia circumferentially-extending bead As the roll engages the portion. 15;.

IS, which snaps into a groove I9 in the cylinder, for the purpose of securing the cap to the cylinder. This snapping connection, as well as removal of the cap, is facilitated due to the resiliency or expansibility of the end of the cylinder created by the provision of the recess or slot 6. 'Ihe cap is further provided with a detent 20, formed integrally with the cap. After a roll of paper has been placed on the holder, the cap is rotated, as by means of a screw driver inserted into the slot I1, to` move the detent 20 from the ppsitio-nN shown in solidlines, in` Fig.5 to the position shown in; broken lines, inlwliich latter position, the detent acts to preventthe spring from being biased upwardly. In this way, removal of the roll of paper is prevented or discnuraged;.since an observer is not likely to see any functional relationship between the cap 1" and'theispring; When the empty roll is to be removed," the detent is returnd to the solid line position.

Theholdersiasfdescribed, can be manufactured at extremely low cost, since they include a minimum of'parts, which are easy to manufacture and assemble.

It is-to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and' described, are to' be taken"- as preferred examples of "the: same, and'that 'vari-ous changes intheshape; size and' arrangement-,of parts'mayfbe resortedto,` without departing from'tliespiritof my i1'f1vention1orthev scope of vthe*sub'joined claims;l

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a holder of the character described," a cyl# inder hai/ingaan endover which a roll'of paper may be slipped, and spring vmeansforretaining said roll on saidl cylinder, said spring means having-angularlyrelated non-circular portions, extending externallyof the cylinder and at an acute 'angle to the axis of the cylinder, one of said portions engageable'by the-'roll when the roll is slipped onto the cylinder and the other Yof said portions beingl engageable by the roll'when the rollisslipped `ofl the cylinder, both ofA said portions beingsdisposediclosely adjacent said end of the cylinder, and the. cylinder being of 'suicient lengththat the roll,;Wh`en disposed'in usable position" on thacylinder, is:not engaged';by either of Isaid portionsof the spring;

2. Aholder, as defined in claim l, in which said cylinder has a slot .inthe wall thereof adjacent saidlend; and sai-d. spring., portions project out.- wardly from said cylinder throughsaid slot..

3., In` a.. holder, oi the. characterV described; a

cylinderhayinggan.endover which a .rolloipaper may be. slipped,Y andpspringgmeans ,for retaining said roll on said cylinder, said spring; means having angularly relatedstraight portions, both extending at anacute angle to. theaxis of the cylinder, one ofsaid portions. engageableby the roll Whenthe roll is slipped onto the cylinder and theV otherV of said portions `being. engageable by the rol-1 when .the roll is slipped-oir` the cylinder, both of.. said portions-being disposedclosely adjacent said end of the cylinder, andthe cylinder being. of suflicient lengththat the roll, when-disposed in usable position onthecylinder, is not engaged by eitherof said portions of the spring. 4. A hol-der, as defined in claim 3, in which said cylinder has a. slot in one end thereof, and said springV portions project outwardly-from said slot. 5. VA holder, as deiined inclaim .4, in Whichsaid spring has a body portion extendingsubstantially parallel with the axis` of said `cylinder and lying closely adjacent the inner Wall' of the cylinder.

6. A holder, as defined in claim 5, in which said body portion extends to the other end of said cylinder and said spring has a portion extending from saidother end of the cylinder at an acute angle to Vsaid body portion to the diametrically opposite Wall of the cylinder, engaging said wall, wherebyremoval of said spring, without mutilation thereof, is rendered diilcult.

7. A holder, as dened in claim 6, in which said body portion of the spring is insertable into said 10 cylinder through said slot even with both ends of the cylinder closed.

8. A holder, as defined in claim 7, in which said spring is adapted to be biased inwardly of the cylinder when the roll is slipped onto or off the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent: 'l

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 5.,; Date 2,320,740 Krueger `June 1, 1943 2,419,798 Stone pr. 29, 1947 Pederson Jan. 13, 1948 

